山(shan)與佛(fo)的(de)因(yin)緣最(zui)早要追溯到晉朝,相傳西(xi)域(yu)僧人(ren)慧照來到無錫(xi)秀麗的(de)西(xi)神山(shan)麓(lu)駐錫(xi)傳道(dao),從此(ci)就有了惠(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)山(shan)之名。寺(si)(si)(si)建(jian)(jian)于(yu)宋(song)景(jing)平元年(nian)(公元423年(nian)),梁大(da)同三(san)年(nian)(537年(nian)),建(jian)(jian)大(da)同殿,易(yi)名為法云(yun)禪(chan)院(yuan)(yuan)。唐宋(song)間,又(you)改名為昌師院(yuan)(yuan)、普利(li)院(yuan)(yuan)、旌忠薦福功(gong)德禪(chan)院(yuan)(yuan)等。惠(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)山(shan)寺(si)(si)(si)是(shi)禪(chan)宗道(dao)場,歷史(shi)上(shang)香火(huo)旺盛,高僧眾多,唐宋(song)鼎盛期僧舍達數千間。惠(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)山(shan)因(yin)佛(fo)而繁榮。從唐朝會昌至清朝同治(zhi)的(de)千余年(nian)間,惠(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)山(shan)寺(si)(si)(si)五次遭劫,五次重建(jian)(jian)。清朝乾隆皇帝曾(ceng)到惠(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)山(shan)寺(si)(si)(si)禮(li)佛(fo)并留下大(da)量詩篇(pian)。1863年(nian)李鴻章在(zai)惠(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)山(shan)寺(si)(si)(si)廢(fei)墟上(shang)建(jian)(jian)昭忠祠。惠(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)山(shan)寺(si)(si)(si)由于(yu)其(qi)悠(you)久的(de)歷史(shi)和深厚的(de)文化(hua)(hua)而歷無錫(xi)十(shi)大(da)叢林(lin)之首。保存完整(zheng)的(de)唐代(dai)(dai)聽(ting)松石(shi)床、唐宋(song)經幢(chuang)、香花橋(qiao)、宋(song)代(dai)(dai)金蓮橋(qiao)、明代(dai)(dai)古銀杏、清代(dai)(dai)御碑等珍貴文物(wu)以及近年(nian)修復(fu)建(jian)(jian)造的(de)大(da)雄寶殿、惠(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)山(shan)寺(si)(si)(si)鐘等展示了佛(fo)教文化(hua)(hua)的(de)獨特魅力。2004年(nian)4月26日,具有1500余年(nian)歷史(shi)的(de)江(jiang)南名剎惠(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)山(shan)寺(si)(si)(si)法喜充滿,修復(fu)開(kai)放并恢復(fu)宗教活動,從此(ci)晨鐘暮鼓、經聲佛(fo)號又(you)回蕩在(zai)錫(xi)惠(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)山(shan)麓(lu)。目(mu)前的(de)惠(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)山(shan)寺(si)(si)(si)佛(fo)法僧三(san)寶俱(ju)足,古老(lao)的(de)叢林(lin)正(zheng)呈現出勃(bo)勃(bo)生機。
惠(hui)(hui)山(shan)寺位于無錫(xi)惠(hui)(hui)山(shan)秀(xiu)嶂街(今(jin)惠(hui)(hui)山(shan)直街和橫(heng)街交接處),始建于南(nan)(nan)北朝(chao)。它的前身是(shi)南(nan)(nan)朝(chao)劉(liu)宋(song)司徒右長史湛挺創立的“歷(li)山(shan)草堂(tang)”。劉(liu)宋(song)景平元年(423),把歷(li)山(shan)草堂(tang)改(gai)作僧舍(she)(she),稱“華山(shan)精舍(she)(she)”,梁朝(chao)大同(tong)三年(537),又(you)把“華山(shan)精舍(she)(she)”改(gai)為“慧山(shan)寺”。
惠(hui)(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)(si)(si),位于(yu)(yu)惠(hui)(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)秀嶂街(今惠(hui)(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)直街和(he)橫(heng)街交接(jie)處(chu)),始(shi)建(jian)(jian)于(yu)(yu)南(nan)北(bei)朝(chao),距今已有(you)一千五百余年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)。它的(de)(de)(de)(de)前(qian)身是(shi)南(nan)朝(chao)劉(liu)宋司徒右長史(shi)湛挺創立(li)的(de)(de)(de)(de)“歷(li)(li)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)草堂(tang)”。當時他歸隱在歷(li)(li)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(惠(hui)(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)),與南(nan)朝(chao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)南(nan)平王(wang)劉(liu)爍(shuo)以詩章酬和(he),齊江(jiang)淹(yan)亦有(you)繼作,后人(ren)把(ba)他們的(de)(de)(de)(de)詩作列于(yu)(yu)壁間(jian)(jian)(jian)。劉(liu)宋景平元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(423年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),把(ba)歷(li)(li)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)草堂(tang)改(gai)作僧(seng)舍(she),稱“華(hua)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)精舍(she)”。元(yuan)徽(474年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)——476年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))間(jian)(jian)(jian),沙(sha)門僧(seng)顯(xian),從(cong)京(jing)(jing)師(今南(nan)京(jing)(jing))入吳(wu)地,在“華(hua)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)精舍(she)”休息(xi)過,這是(shi)最(zui)早而有(you)名望的(de)(de)(de)(de)高(gao)僧(seng)。梁朝(chao)大(da)同(tong)(tong)三(san)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(537年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),把(ba)華(hua)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)精舍(she)改(gai)為(wei)(wei)“慧山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)(si)(si)”。寺(si)(si)(si)僧(seng)陳大(da)德(de)建(jian)(jian)大(da)同(tong)(tong)殿,又名“法云禪院(yuan)”。唐(tang)(tang)朝(chao)會昌(841年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)——846年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))間(jian)(jian)(jian),寺(si)(si)(si)毀(hui),唐(tang)(tang)朝(chao)大(da)中(zhong)(847年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)——859年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))期(qi)間(jian)(jian)(jian)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian)。北(bei)宋至(zhi)道(995年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)——997年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))間(jian)(jian)(jian),賜(si)額“普利院(yuan)”。北(bei)宋靖康元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1126年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),賜(si)給名相李(li)(li)綱(gang)作 “功(gong)德(de)院(yuan)”。宋紹興(xing)元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1131年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),把(ba)該(gai)院(yuan)賜(si)給信安郡王(wang)孟忠(zhong)(zhong)厚,祀昭慈圣(sheng)憲孟太后,改(gai)額“旌忠(zhong)(zhong)薦福寺(si)(si)(si)”,賜(si)銅印(yin)一顆,上(shang)鐫“旌忠(zhong)(zhong)薦福功(gong)德(de)禪院(yuan)之印(yin)”,元(yuan)朝(chao)末(mo)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)被(bei)毀(hui),明(ming)朝(chao)洪(hong)武元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1368年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))僧(seng)普真(zhen)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)修(xiu)。永樂五年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1407年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))僧(seng)懷祖又修(xiu)建(jian)(jian)。正(zheng)統十(shi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1445年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))被(bei)火燒毀(hui)。巡(xun)撫周忱,知縣項伾重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian)。萬歷(li)(li)二十(shi)三(san)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1959年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),有(you)個(ge)唐(tang)(tang)裕(yu)的(de)(de)(de)(de),挾妓(ji)游(you)春,競放火炮,炮火飛上(shang)殿脊,殿被(bei)焚毀(hui),次年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)吳(wu)申錫(xi)捐千金重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)建(jian)(jian),他的(de)(de)(de)(de)兒子澄時又造了禪堂(tang)和(he)不(bu)二法門。康熙于(yu)(yu)二十(shi)三(san)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1684年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))南(nan)巡(xun)時,至(zhi)惠(hui)(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)(si)(si),在漪瀾堂(tang)品泉。第(di)二年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian),無(wu)錫(xi)人(ren)周宏詞(ci)力加修(xiu)治(zhi),題(ti)額為(wei)(wei)“圣(sheng)敬式臨(lin)”。后來,乾隆(long)六次到(dao)惠(hui)(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan),在秦(qin)園和(he)竹爐山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)房休息(xi),寫(xie)了不(bu)少詩詞(ci),題(ti)了不(bu)少匾聯,還特地為(wei)(wei)“惠(hui)(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)(si)(si)”題(ti)額。清朝(chao)感(gan)豐至(zhi)同(tong)(tong)治(zhi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)間(jian)(jian)(jian),李(li)(li)鴻章的(de)(de)(de)(de)淮(huai)湘軍曾與太平軍在江(jiang)南(nan)一帶激戰,惠(hui)(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)寺(si)(si)(si)院(yuan)毀(hui)于(yu)(yu)戰火,僅(jin)存(cun)寺(si)(si)(si)門匾額。后來,李(li)(li)鴻章在惠(hui)(hui)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)寺(si)(si)(si)的(de)(de)(de)(de)廢(fei)墟(xu)上(shang)建(jian)(jian)立(li)了“昭忠(zhong)(zhong)祠”,辛亥革(ge)命后改(gai)為(wei)(wei)“忠(zhong)(zhong)烈(lie)祠”。
由于惠(hui)山(shan)寺(si)坐(zuo)落在(zai)(zai)名勝之地(di),聲譽早已隨(sui)著天下(xia)第二泉的美(mei)名而滿天下(xia)。它(ta)早在(zai)(zai)唐(tang)宋之時,就香(xiang)火不絕,盛極一時。寺(si)院范圍包(bao)括整個愚公谷和寄(ji)暢園,僧(seng)舍就有一千零四十八間(jian)之多(duo)。古往今(jin)來(lai),多(duo)少騷人(ren)墨客,以(yi)至(zhi)帝王將相,在(zai)(zai)經過京杭(hang)大運河時,都(dou)要在(zai)(zai)惠(hui)山(shan)寺(si)逗留。
解放后(hou),市人民(min)政府對惠(hui)山(shan)(shan)寺進(jin)行了(le)(le)全面整修,1954年(nian)重新設(she)計改建了(le)(le)“古(gu)華(hua)山(shan)(shan)門(men)(men)”和(he)(he)二(er)山(shan)(shan)門(men)(men),非(fei)常壯嚴古(gu)樸。現在惠(hui)山(shan)(shan)寺還保留著古(gu)跡和(he)(he)建筑物有古(gu)華(hua)山(shan)(shan)門(men)(men)、唐宋石經(jing)幢、金(jin)剛殿(dian)、香(xiang)花橋(qiao)和(he)(he)日月池、金(jin)蓮(lian)橋(qiao)和(he)(he)金(jin)蓮(lian)池、御(yu)碑亭、聽松石床、古(gu)銀(yin)杏樹、大同(tong)殿(dian)、竹(zhu)爐山(shan)(shan)房和(he)(he)云起樓等。